Choosing between OFQUAL, CPD and Accreditation

Hey Probabes! Lets talk about verifying your courses

So you keep hearing these three terms thrown around and your wondering...

Are they the same thing? Are they different? More importantly what do I need to know about each of them?

To be a compliant educator within the beauty industry your courses must be either OFQUAL regulated, CPD Accredited or Privately Accredited. No they are not all the same...

OFQUAL Regulation

OFQUAL stands for Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation this government office regulates qualifications, examinations and assessments in England. Qualifications that are OFQUAL regulated follow the Regulated Qualification Framework (RQF). For each of the different levels from Entry Level (1-3) to Doctorate Level (8) there are specific requirements of the curriculum, how it is deliver and who by. 

Why might you want to teach an OFQUAL regulated qualification?

Teaching OFQUAL regulated qualifications provides your students with wider employment opportunities for example working on cruise ships or within chain salons and parlours. Likewise studying the OFQUAL Level 3 AET will allow you to teach OFQUAL regulated qualifications and will allow you to work within Further Education. The benefit of holding an internationally recognised qualification is that you will be able to access insurance from anywhere and work across the world with little to no issue in most countries. Students have also heard of OFQUAL and as a result will be trusting in your offer. Different awarding bodies provided different levels of support with some offering all course materials and some solely assessment materials. This can be helpful in lightening the load for educators in the early stages.

How do I teach OFQUAL regulated qualifications?

To teach an OFQUAL regulated qualification you will need to become a centre for an awarding body. This includes bodies such as CIBTAC, VTCT, CITY and GUILDS and Focus Awards. In order to do this you will need specific qualifications which usually includes (not limited to) OFQUAL Level 3 AET, Level 3 Assessors (CAVA) and qualifications in the treatment area. In addition to this to become a centre you will also need an internal quality assurer (IQA).  

Why might you NOT want to teach an OFQUAL regulated course?

Whilst OFQUAL courses open many doors for educators and students alike. Typically it can be a more costly route into teaching and if your planning to work for yourself the accredited route may be a better option. This is because you will often pay a set up fee + registration fee per student and annual renewal fee to remain a centre as well as needing additional staff members to assume roles such as the IQA. As an educator you will also have less autonomy over how your courses are delivered. Some awarding bodies will deliver aspects of your course for you remotely with you having little insight into what students have covered. In some cases course curriculums may be outdated. Assessments are standardised and you will need to report to your IQA and External Quality Assurer (EQA). As a result, many educators choose to work with private accreditation boards who work within the beauty sector.

Continued Professional Development

Continued Professional Development more commonly known as CPD usually refers to short courses that top-up existing knowledge. Most industries require employees to engage in a certain amount of hours of CPD, evidence CPD or accumulate a number of CPD points each year. Whilst this is the definition of the term it is important to note that there are MANY companies who operate under the trading name of 'CPD' some of which do offer CPD Accreditation allowing people to undertake new skills by registered CPD educators. It is therefore important when choosing a CPD company that you complete your due diligence to ensure students are able to gain insurance once completing the course.

Why might you want to teach a CPD qualification?

CPD is a popular name! Most people have heard of CPD and so many educators use this to their advantage. This can help students to trust you and the quality of your courses. If it is CPD verified they may see this as a mark of high standards. If you work within the aesthetics industry CPD is the most commonly used course verifier and so using a known company can be useful when promoting courses. It is important as stated above to do your research to ensure that the CPD company you choose is accepted by insurers and your students will be able to operate in a fully protected manner. 

How do I teach CPD qualifications?

Each body has their own requirements you will need to research the different CPD companies and consider which is best suited to your academies needs. Usually you will need to submit all course materials, proof of qualifications and insurance to CPD. They will then review this and allocate CPD points to your course and list you on their directory.

Why might you NOT want to teach a CPD course?

It is really important to do your due diligence when choosing to go with CPD as an accreditor. Not all CPD companies are accreditors some simply act to recognise short courses as proof of continued professional development rather than new skills and are therefore used as a way to record and track CPD activities. CPD often works out to be one of the most expensive verification routes for beauty courses. As CPD covers many areas there is no guarantee that those looking over course documentation are experts within your specific field. Whilst they can check for compliance and quality assurer there may be limitations on how much specific support they can provide to your needs as a beauty educator. Due to the meaning of CPD some students will not view your courses as 'qualifying' and as a result may look elsewhere.

Private Accreditation

Private Accreditation companies operate within different industries. Within the beauty industry there are quite a few. They all work within their own remit and will work with different insurance brokers to ensure your students can gain insurance. 

Why might you want to teach an privately accredited qualification?

Private accreditation is often the most cost effective route into teaching in the beauty industry. Typically there are no student registration fees and renewals are charged at a lower premium than the above alternatives. When leading privately accredited courses educators tend to have greater flexibility and autonomy on how they teach their courses and what additional topics they wish to cover e.g., finance or social media modules. Most accreditors will be experienced within their specific field and can therefore provide specific support to meet the needs of beauty educators. Many offer memberships which provide access to events and resources tailored to the beauty industry which can be beneficial to your growth as an educator. Accreditation companies work closely with insurers to ensure courses delivered by their educators meet industry standards. Privately accredited courses can be used as evidence of prior learning for OFQUAL regulated courses for students who wish to pivot in their working careers therefore students are not limited by doing these accredited courses.

How do I teach privately accredited qualifications?

To teach privately accredited courses you will need a valid teaching qualification. Similar to CPD you will also need to create your own course materials and submit these for approval. Each accreditor will have their own specific documentation requirements so it is important you work in line with the company of your choosing.

Why might you NOT want to teach an privately accredited course?

Some private accreditation companies are not accepted by all insurers. This can sometimes limit your students options in gaining insurance that meets their specific needs. Therefore, you will need to check who accreditors work with for insurance to make sure your students have plenty of choice. Additionally, due to different accreditors working to different standards you will need to do your research and ensure that you are choosing a reputable and knowledgable accreditor. Students who wish to work for larger cooperations may be limited in choice due to not having OFQUAL regulated qualifications.

So which route should you follow? 

Well it is entirely up to you and the route you wish to follow! The beauty industry remains unregulated in many areas and so it is important to align your academy with a reputable verifier. Each of the above options are recognised both by insurers and the industry as a whole. Your decisions should be based on what works best for you, how you wish to run your courses and the prospective students you are likely to attract.

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